


We Are the Broken

by Era_Penn



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Comfort No Hurt, F/M, Feels, Fluffy, Good Day, Happy, Lots and lots of feels, Music, Serenade, Valentine's Day, happy tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 10:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1185336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Era_Penn/pseuds/Era_Penn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Valentine's Day, and Tony wants do something special for Pepper. She's always wanting him to sing, despite his insistence that he has a bad voice, so he pulls out his dusty old guitar and learns a song. Maybe it's not a typical love song, but it's <i>their</i> love song.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Are the Broken

**Author's Note:**

> This song is one of my absolute favorites. It's called "We Are the Broken" by Matthew West. Listen to it [here](http://www.last.fm/music/Matthew+West/_/We+Are+the+Broken). If possible, listen to the album version; it's also on Spotify. 
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day! I wish you and yours all the best, and to any of my fellow singles out there, look on the bright side - the chocolate will be on sale tomorrow!

Tony’s fingers tapped a relentless rhythm on his knee. The city was bright tonight; no one was asleep, and all the best restaurants had been reserved for weeks. The team was out in it, claiming they needed to get out of the stifling tower and get laid, tonight at least. Tony smirked as (an undoubtedly illegal) heart-shaped firework exploded over the skyline somewhere. Teenagers managed to get off at least the one every year. 

The elevator door slid open and he turned to find Pepper in those booty shorts and one of his tees.

“Miss Potts.”

“Mister Stark.” she said with a smile, settling against his shoulder. “Is there a reason you’re holding your old guitar?”

“Well, it is Valentine’s Day,” he said, “And despite my frankly awful voice, you seem bound and determined that I sing to you more.”

Pepper laughed. “By all means let’s hear it.” She always insisted he was far better than he’d thought.

Tony swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. “I may be reconsidering.” he said.

“Nope. Valentine’s Day, you’d better serenade me.”

Tony took a deep, deep breath, and started the opening chords, seeing Pepper’s eyes go wide. She knew the song, then.

“ _Most my life I've been doing my best to_  
 _Try and hide anything less than perfect_  
 _I covered up all my scars_  
 _I gotta make them think I've got it together…_ ”

Pepper’s face was in her hands. This song was one of his favorites, despite being different from most of everything he listened to. It was one of her favorites as well, he knew, for entirely different reasons. What did it matter the reasons?

“ _Make believe nobody ever has to see_  
 _What I keep in the dark_  
 _Truth is, I was wrong_  
 _That’s the part that you have wanted all along._ ”

Oh shit, she looks like she’s crying. He’s all in now though, so he needed to finish. Hopefully she wouldn't be too unhappy with him. This song was theirs; it always had been. He was certainly broken in so many different ways, and though people couldn't see it, she was too. They were all each other had, in the end.

“ _We are, we are, we are the broken_  
 _But we are, we are, we are the chosen_  
 _So come on shine, shine, shine_  
 _Your beautiful light_  
 _Through the cracks inside our hearts tonight_  
 _‘Cause we are, we are, we are the broken..._ ”

Because she was so beautiful, framed against the city lights. She was all the light in the world, all that he’d ever needed to fix himself as much as he could, or at least make the bent parts just as beautiful.

“ _Coast is clear we got nothing to hide_  
 _All are welcome here_  
 _Step into the light_  
 _Where there’s no more fear_  
 _Can you hear the freedom song our souls are singing_  
 _Come just as you are_  
 _Take those walls around you and tear ‘em all apart_ ”

They’d let his crazy team in, even. If that wasn't a flashing sign that this was a hotel for those who needed second chances, he didn't know what was. Yeah. Second chances were a big deal, to all of them. Pepper too. He didn’t know what the other Avengers knew about her past, but if anyone deserved that, it was her. She certainly deserved better than him, be she’d let him come to her just as he was, and heard what was in his heart, not on his tongue.

“ _We are, we are, we are, the broken_  
 _But we are, we are, we are, the chosen,_  
 _So come on shine, shine, shine_  
 _Your beautiful light_  
 _Through the cracks inside our hearts tonight_  
 _‘Cause we are, we are, we are the broken…_ ”

It wasn't what most would typically call a love song. Not the kind that you’d serenade your girlfriend with on Valentine’s Day, anyway. But since when were they typical, or most? They were Tony and Pepper, and this was their love song.

“ _We are the weak, the wrong, the too far gone_  
 _We are the outcasts, yeah, but today we belong_  
 _We are the lost, the found, the been knocked down_  
 _But we got back up and now we are the city on a hill_  
 _Is filled with stained glass hearts, but we come as we are_  
 _We come as we are_  
 _And we shine like stars, shine like stars_  
 _We come as we are and we shine like stars_ ”

Pepper’s full-on sobbing now and he hesitates, but she motions him onward.

“ _We are, we are, we are the broken_  
 _But we are, we are, we are the chosen_  
 _So come on shine, shine, shine_  
 _Your beautiful light_  
 _Through the cracks inside our hearts tonight_  
 _‘Cause we are, we are, we are the broken_  
 _We are the weak, the wrong, the too far gone_  
 _We are the outcasts, yeah, but today we belong_  
 _We are the weak, the wrong, the too far gone_  
 _We are the outcasts, yeah, but today we belong_ ”

The last chord echoed through the room, and Tony realized that at some point the Avengers had gotten back. Clint looked somewhat thunderstruck, and Bruce was wide-eyed beside him. Natasha and Steve looked as close to tears as Pepper was. Thor and Jane weren't there.

“Uh…” he said. “Pepper? Why’d you let me keep going?”

“Damn, Tony, you've got a good voice.” Clint’s voice was raw. “What is that, our theme song?”

His eyes were on Pepper, who was wiping away tears as she struggled to get herself back under control. “Something like that,” she choked out.

“I have chocolates?” he said, and it sounded like a question.

Pepper snorted a little, taking a deep breath. “Enough for everyone, as we discussed? And the movie?”

“Hey, no, if you two want some time -” Clint began, backing away as the others seemed to find their voices and clamored to agree.

“Nah.” Tony said. “All are welcome here; did you guys come in early enough for that part? Besides, Pepper and I have plans that involve the best of the comedy romances of the era and The Princess Bride. Steve hasn't seen it yet. We’ll meet you in the living room.”

The Avengers slipped away and Tony awkwardly stared at the floor. “I didn't mean… I mean…”

“Happy tears, Tony,” she said gently, settling herself back into his arms and accepting a kiss. “Now go get the stuff.”

He beamed at her as he let go and turned towards the kitchen. “Will that be all, miss Potts?”

“That will be all, Mr. Stark - although you’d better be down here in the next ten minutes.”

He saluted and raced up the stairs laughing, hearing her follow. She knew he’d take far longer without adult supervision, and that wouldn't do.

It was Valentine’s Day, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you see typos or if the link doesn't work or whatever.


End file.
